Lobbying and Advocacy

Feel Confident About Advocating for Legislation and Lobbying Government Officials - from the Alliance for Justice

Center for Lobbying in the Public Interest (CLPI) promotes, supports and protects 501(c)3 nonprofit advocacy and lobbying in order to strengthen participation in our democratic society and advance charitable missions. Citizen participation is the essence of democracy, and nonproift organizations are one of the most effective vehicles for engaging people in the democratic process. Lobbying is an important activity that nonprofits can undertake to achieve their missions and foster democracy. Through lobbying, nonprofit volunteers and staff provide vital expertise and perspectives to federal, state and local government decision-makers, resulting in better law and policy. These beliefs and the need to preserve them led to CLPI's founding in 1998.

CLPI Releases New Principles and Practices for Public Interest Lobbying - The Center for Lobbying in the Public Interest (CLPI) recently released Smart and Ethical Principles and Practices for Public Interest Lobbying, a benchmarking tool nonprofits can use to assess their current lobbying work and set aspirations for their future lobbying efforts. The result of a collaborative development process with a group of nonprofit leaders and funding by the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, the principles and practices are CLPI’s response to the need for nonprofits to claim public interest lobbying as an honorable and effective strategy for advancing their missions.

Alliance for Justice - Alliance for Justice (AFJ) is a national association of environmental, civil rights, mental health, women's, children's, and consumer advocacy organizations. Since its inception in 1979, AFJ has worked to advance the cause of justice for all Americans, strengthen the public interest community's ability to influence public policy, and foster the next generation of advocates.

Helpful Links provided by Alliance for Justice

The Library of Congress is the oldest federal cultural institution and serves as the research arm of Congress. It is also the largest library in the world, with millions of books, recordings, photographs, maps and manuscripts in its collections.

Nonprofit Lobbying and The Law - an article published by The Minnesota Council of Nonprofits (MCN). MCN was founded in 1987 to meet the increasing information needs of nonprofits and to convene nonprofits to address issues facing the sector. MCN is the statewide association of more than 1,850 nonprofit member organizations.

The Nonprofit Lobbying Guide, Second Edition. Written in 1999 by Bob Smucker and published by Independent Sector, The Nonprofit Lobbying Guide demonstrates the many ways charitable organizations can use lobbying to advance their causes in federal, state, and local legislatures. This definitive guide to advocacy is essential for organizations already engaged in policy work and an invaluable resource for those that want to get started. The guide is now out of print, but can be downloaded at this site.

Political and Lobbying Activities per the Internal Revenue Service.

Nonprofit Lobbying Yes You Can! published by The Center for Nonprofit Advancement which is the Washington, DC region's catalyst for advancing nonprofits by being the most comprehensive resource for education and training, networking, advocacy and buying opportunities.

National Council on Nonprofit Associations - The National Council of Nonprofit Associations (NCNA) is the network of state and regional nonprofit associations serving over 20,000 members in 41 states and the District of Columbia. NCNA links local organizations to a national audience through state associations and helps small and midsize nonprofits: manage and lead more effectively; collaborate and exchange solutions; engage in critical policy issues affecting the sector; and achieve greater impact in their communities.

Independent Sector - Independent Sector is the leadership forum for charities, foundations, and corporate giving programs committed to advancing the common good in America and around the world. This nonpartisan coalition of approximately 600 organizations leads, strengthens, and mobilizes the charitable community in order to fulfill the vision of a just and inclusive society and a healthy democracy of active citizens, effective institutions, and vibrant communities.

OMB Watch - OMB Watch exists to increase government transparency and accountability; to ensure sound, equitable regulatory and budgetary processes and policies; and to protect and promote active citizen participation in our democracy.

An Activists' Strategy for Effective Online Networking - an article by ONE/Northwest: Online Networking for the Environment, Seattle, Washington.

What's Working: Advocacy on the 'Net - an online tool kit from the Benton Foundation, Washington, D.C.

National Association of Counties -This site allows you to select the state in which you are interested and call up links to all the counties within that state with web sites.

The National Council of State Legislatures -This site provides links to state legislatures' web sites.

The National League of Cities -This site provides a list of states and for each state links to state-level Leagues of Cities. These, in turn, can help you identify your particular city.

Public Technology -This site offers PTILinks, which connect to state, county, and city sites.

State and Local Government on the Net - a directory of official state, county, and city government web sites.

The Lobbying and Advocacy Handbook for Nonprofit Organizations - Shaping Public Policy at the State and Local Level, by Marica Avner. This is a planning guide and resource for nonprofit organizations that want to influence issues that matter to them. This book will help you decide whether to lobby and then put plans in place to make it work. 240 pages, softcover, Item # 069261, published by Fieldstone Alliance.

Nonprofit Voter Engagement Network (NVEN) -is dedicated to expanding the role of America’s nonprofits in voting and elections. NVEN works with state nonprofit VOTE initiatives and its national website to provide resources and tools for 501(c)(3) nonprofits to help their communities participate and vote.